Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA) – Twenty-eighth bi-weekly implementation report (OCHA)

Report No 28

Implementation of the Agreement on Movement and Access

(29 November – 12 December 2006)

The United Nations¹ is submitting the 28th bi-weekly report on the implementation of the 15 November 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access (AMA), covering the period 29 November – 12 December 2006 inclusive.²

1. Overall Progress: The operation of Karni crossing continues to improve: although it is operating for only half the scheduled hours, the number of truckloads of goods imported to and exported from the Gaza Strip continues to increase. The number of exported truckloads averaged 44 a day, 11% of the target set for the end of 2006 (up from 33.5 during the previous period).

The number of traders crossing Erez has risen steadily since the issuing of permits restarted in September and now averages 150 a day, a number comparable to the start of 2006. However no workers are permitted to cross into Israel at present.

2. Changes of note since Report No 27 (28 November):

• Rafah crossing was open on 1 day allowing a total of 1,573 people to cross into the Gaza Strip and 1,238 people out, a similar number to the previous period. Rafah was open for only 6% of scheduled hours compared to 9% during the previous period.

• Karni crossing was open on all 12 scheduled operating days enabling a total of 2,774 truckloads of goods into (a 38% increase on period 27) and 531 truckloads of goods out (a 25% increase) of the Gaza Strip. In addition 1,608 truckloads of aggregates were imported. Karni

was open for 49% of scheduled hours compared to 37% during the previous period.

• Sufa crossing was open on all 12 scheduled working days for the transport of aggregates.

• Kerem Shalom crossing was open on 6 days for the transport of humanitarian goods.

• Erez crossing remains closed to all Palestinians except traders holding special permits and emergency humanitarian cases. An average of 150 traders are crossing Erez each day, up from 118 last period.

• Obstacles to movement in the West Bank decreased from 540 to 534. This represents an increase of 164 or 42% over the baseline figure of August 2005.

3. No Change since Report No 27 (28 November):

• There were no reported security incidents during the period.

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¹ The Office of the Quartet’s Special Envoy closed on 28 April. Since then the United Nations through the oPt OCHA office has assumed reporting responsibilities on the implementation of the AMA.

²  The report draws on all available data sources for reporting including the EU-BAM, UN agencies, PA ministries, PalTrade, COGAT and the World Bank.